“Can’t wait to hear what he’s gripin’ about now.” Corrine shot Thatcher a parting smile, then scuttled around Laurel and out of the kitchen.
Laurel waited until Irv’s bedroom door was closed, then said in an angry whisper, “I told you to stay away from us.”
“Only reason I’m here is to get what I left behind last night.”
She propped her hands on her hips. “Corrine?”
He didn’t blame her for being mad about that. He’d been so miffed when he left, he’d forgotten all about the girl until he’d reached the boardinghouse. He sure as hell wasn’t going to come back for her then. “I didn’t mean to dump her on you.”
“What did you mean to do with her?”
“Well, I really didn’t have time to mull it over. What with keeping your father-in-law from bleeding and all.”
“Tell me, deputy, did you save him last night only so you could arrest him this morning?”
To hell with this. He had things to do that didn’t include swapping snide remarks on her doorstep. “I came for the pistol. I could’ve bought another hat, but the gun isn’t mine. I need to return it to its owner.”
“And who is that?”
“Can I have it back, please?”
She stood there seething, then said, “It’s been in safekeeping. Wait here.”
She went into the dining room. He heard her open one of the sideboard’s drawers then slam it shut. She reappeared with his hat in one hand and the Colt in the other. She thrust them at him.
He caught them both against his chest. “Thanks.” He placed his hat on his head and pushed the pistol into his waistband.
“You’re going to walk around town with it poking out like that?”
“No. I’m going to ride around town with it poking out like that.”
“Ride?”
He thumbed over his shoulder toward her backyard where he’d hitched a gelding to a post of her clothesline. She glanced past him, saw the horse, and remarked, again snidely, “He doesn’t look like a bucking bronco to me.”
“Far from it. He’s lazy. His owner hired me to pump some spirit into him. Riding him over was a lesson in obedience.”
“For him or for you?”
“I got him up to a canter. For me, it beat walking.”
The scornfulness in her expression was replaced by one of sudden realization. “When you left last night…?”
“Yeah, I was afoot. But I’m used to walking.” He didn’t see a need to belabor the point. “Corrine and I will ride double. Go get her, and we’ll be out of your hair.”
She hesitated, tugging at her lower lip with her teeth, and damn if he didn’t want to be doing that. Sore as he was at her in his head, other parts of him hadn’t gotten the message.
She said, “Did Corrine express a desire to go with you?”
“You mean just now? No. She was bringing me up to date on Irv. Sounds like he’s doing okay.”
“Ornery, as you predicted, but holding his own.”
“Have you changed the bandage?”
“Not yet. But he isn’t running a fever, so I don’t think the wound is infected.”
“Want me to stay while you check, then help you wrap him up again?”